United Arab Emirates – Dubai DED refunded Dh14.3m to 5,000 consumers

THE Department of Economic Development has warned it will impose penalties on those who violate the rules of trade as stated in the Bluebook that sets out the rights of consumers in the UAE. 

Omar Bu Shahab, executive director of Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) at the Department of Economic Development in Dubai, told the local newspaper Gulf News that the department has succeeded in refunding a total of Dh14.3 million over goods deemed unsatisfactory to the complainants. 

The department dealt with more than 5,000 complaints filed by different customers against retailers based in Dubai in the first half of 2013. While most of these complaints were related to commercial issues, others were filed against public service providers. 

The biggest complaint was against an interior design company in Dubai at a value of Dh2 million. Other complaints were filed against gold retailers with a refund worth Dh387,000. The Bluebook, which contains the policies, aims to define a legal framework that coordinates the relationship between consumers and traders, shedding light on their rights and responsibilities. 

In the first half of 2013, the DED received a total of 5,238 complaints increasing by 38 per cent from same period in 2012. Most of these complaints were reported against electronic and services sectors which represented 26 per cent each, followed by vehicle sectors which represented 12.8 per cent of the complaints. 

Bu Shahab said the penalties of violating consumer protection laws varied from a warning on the first infraction to freezing of the licence of traders and fines imposed on retailers — ranging from Dh500 to Dh20,000. Severe violations can lead to closing down the business.